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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29192163">invitations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsuluio/pseuds/tsuluio'>tsuluio</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cookie Run (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Breaking and Entering, Dialogue Heavy, Friendship, Gen, Snow Sugar Cookie is mentioned</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:47:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29192163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsuluio/pseuds/tsuluio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Espresso didn't think Rye would've broken into his lab for this. </p>
<p>Featuring party invitations, broken glass, and an impromptu bonding session.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Espresso Cookie &amp; Rye Cookie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>invitations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is more of an experimental fic than anything! i don't have a full handle of either of espresso or rye's personalities (and i don't have rye so i don't know how she interacts with people past screenshots) so sorry if anything is off! i do have my own headcanons for these two as well so that might play a little into how i write them!</p>
<p>anyway this is purely platonic! i simply think they could be friends :]</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When a loud sequence of heavy thuds come from the entrance of Espresso's laboratory, the coffee mage is not immediately alarmed. The comings and goings of the many cookies in the kingdom are not always to his liking, and he most definitely does not like this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So it is with almost a way of vague spite that he delays answering the door, taking time to adjust some tubing attachments over his many flasks before sweeping across the room to answer the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fully prepared to tell the newcomer to come back later, Espresso instead finds himself staring at an empty doorway with no one in sight. He steps out a little more, faintly bewildered, but after checking around the sides of the entrance, it's clear that whoever was here had left. Odd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He retreats back across the threshold and just about manages to close the door when the sound of glass shattering behind him has him whirling in place, hands poised to attack or defend or whatever else would be needed of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of an immediate threat, he finds Rye standing in a sea of glass shards, a toothy grin stretching across her face as she makes cheerful eye contact with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey Essy."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stares silently for a moment before slowly lowering his arms. "What are you doing here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You took too long answerin' the door, so I took matters into my own hands." She unhooks one thumb from the loop in her jeans and gestures to the window. "Security system needs work though. It'd be a real shame if any of your stuff here got stolen."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I meant why did you come here in the first place?" Espresso asks impatiently, fetching a broom from a closet nearby. "Was the matter so important you had to break in?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rye snorts. "O'course it was, doc. Came to give you this public notice. I ain't exactly law enforcement 'round here but it's close enough, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she cackles in laughter, Espresso takes the scrap of paper from her outstretched hand, squinting to read the fine print. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A long pause.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is a party invitation."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, so?" Rye grins. "You comin' or what?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Espresso shoves the paper back into her hand and turns away to start sweeping up the broken glass. "I have no time for such frivolities. You have already wasted my time enough." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Awh, c'mon Essy!" Rye leans forward, the grain between her teeth bobbing a little as she speaks. "You went to that puppet show; I heard 'bout it from a few others. You can come to this one!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I cannot."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why not, huh?" Rye grabs the broom as he tries to go around her, forcing him to make eye contact with her. "I may not know much 'bout this Coffee Magic you got goin' on, but even I know you can spend </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> time away from the lab. Ain't it borin' for you to do the same ol' stuff everyday?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No," Espresso says stiffly, and the bounty hunter shuffles closer, even as he leans away from her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You sure? Snow Sugar's real excited for this one, y'know. They keep talkin' 'bout how many friends they're gonna have after this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rye waits a little, but while Espresso's grip has lessened on the broom after that comment, there's no other reaction from him. So she continues: "And I heard there'll be donuts."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There's another long pause before Espresso lets go of the broom and steps away. Rye takes another step forward in response, the heels of her boots crunching the glass into crystals. "Is that a yes?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other cookie huffs. "I suppose I can spare </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> time. No longer than ten minutes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ten minutes, huh?" Rye smirks a little, crossing her arms. "I bet you can't stay for fifteen."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns around to stare at her. The provocation hangs between them, as clearcut as the edges of Rye's poncho, and Espresso lets it stay there a little longer before sighing. "You're pushing it, Rye."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's what I do best, ain't it?" The other cookie allows herself a smug grin before offering the mage the invitation again. "But Snow Sugar's gonna be thrilled to see you anyhow. And the donuts, I guess, but they don't have eyes, do they?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She bursts into another peal of laughter as Espresso rolls his own eyes and takes the paper back from her. "Your sense of humor is almost as incomprehensible as Avocado's."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't seem to have one anyways, so I ain't offended, doc," Rye snorts. "But I only ever need to entertain myself. It makes life easier."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How could that possibly make your life easier?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The bounty hunter shrugs. "If you ain't tryna impress anyone then it works out for you, right? Like you and your magic. You're workin' just because you want to, not because people expect you to, and it's impressive. Hell, we actually all expect you to come outta your little hidey hole and you barely even do that, and here you're doin' just fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Espresso looks up from the invitation, eyebrows furrowing slightly. "What is that supposed to mean?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It means what I said. You know your comfort zone and you ain't comin' out of it too much. And you don't gotta, really, but it's good practice if you do stuff like this." She nods to the paper in his hands with a wink. "You blow everyone off and people think you're an arsehole sometimes, but I know you ain't half bad, y'know? Takes time to do all this and then some. But as long as you ain't lookin' to impress people, you're good."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His face must show some confusion because Rye laughs and waves a hand. "Hey, don't think too hard 'bout it, okay? But you can stay for only ten minutes if that's all you wanna do."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Espresso stares. The other's words ring some truth there, and with that comes faint relief. He must be easy to read if the bounty hunter could pick up his traits that well while only being in the kingdom for a short while. But there's a part of him that feels reassured at that. He's a reclusive individual in truth, never showing his true inner thoughts for whatever reason, holding himself to his own reputation, and yet Rye had dismissed it all in a few minutes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks back down at the invitation in his hands. The neat print -- no doubtedly Snow Sugar's handwriting -- and colorful fringe along the edges have some kind of cheerful, hopeful feeling hidden between the lettering, one that he can't understand just yet, but for some reason, he suddenly is willing to try to comprehend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Espresso looks back up at Rye, his broom in her hand, gun holsters shining in the polished sunlight, easy grin invoking a sharp feeling of gratitude there. But, because he is Espresso after all, he inclines his head curtly, tucking the invitation away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Make that fifteen minutes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>a clarification: i hc that espresso has trouble interacting with others sometimes; he uses work as an excuse because a. he does actually have to work and b. he's more comfortable working anyway</p></blockquote></div></div>
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